Clinical Failure
- page 2

So, I am on the brink of getting kicked out of my program due to the clinical setting. I arrived late quite a few times and the instructors don't like me or teach me, just reprimand me. I get 80-90%... Read More

Sorry, being late to clinical "quite a few times" is a valid reason for your instructor to fail you just as it is a valid reason for a future boss to fire you. I've seen nurses get fired for this before. If it happens once or twice and there's a legit reason why you're late, they'll likely be understanding. "My car broke down and I'm waiting for triple A, I'll get there as soon as I can" is likely to be met with a better response than "I'm late for the 3rd week in a row but I just couldn't get out of bed." You apparently have been in clinical for a number of weeks if you've been late "quite a few times". My suggestion to you there is to wake up earlier and leave earlier. You know that you're late when you leave your house at the time you're currently leaving, so figure out what time you need to leave to get there on time. You've already failed one course for being late, why haven't you taken that into consideration and started arriving on time?

It is your personal/professional responsibility to make sure that your TB screening is completed per the requirements of the program and, in the future, per the requirements of your employer. People who did not complete this on time at my hospital job were not allowed to complete their annual review which delayed their raise. Once it was so late, there was talk of no raise and disciplinary action.

My suggestion would be to stop filing so many grievances (it sounds like the school has valid reasons for what they're doing and, no, being late "quite a few times" is not "the smallest reason") and to focus on your academics. "My test is late because I was filing a grievance against the professor for failing me because I never showed up to clinical on time" is not going to go over well. The school likely has policies on late assignments and clinical arrival times. It's also not an excuse that a test was 2 weeks late because you were "busy writing papers". There's a LOT of work in nursing school, you need to learn time management. You need it in nursing school and you especially need it in real life nursing.

^This- in every way

Oct 3, '12

I know a few that would give their teeth gladly to be in clinical. You need to do something to change and fast, otherwise you may as well start looking to change your major. No boss is going to put up with tardiness without a certifiable emergency, especially if it is habitual.

Oct 3, '12

Is this for real? If so, I don't see one iota of responsibility being taken here, for anything. First of all, being late to clinical 'quite a few times' is inexcusable. It reflects badly on you and your school. It shows a poor work ethic. Why should the instructors care about educating you when you don't seem to care about your education enough to be on time?

Moving on the the nitpicking about the nail polish color. This has nothing to do with wearing the wrong color and everything to do with the fact you shouldn't be wearing nail polish in clinical AT ALL. I don't know how you've made it this far without learning that.

And lastly, the TB test. They gave you two weeks to do it and you're complaining you were too busy working on your grievances. Seriously, you couldn't find and hour to go get the test and another 15 minutes a couple days later to have it verified?

I'm not trying to be snarky-- but you don't seem to realize how serious your behavior really is.

I think I would be fired for being late. The TB test I would have been able to get done at my place of employment so it wouldn't have happened. I didn't know where people get those done. I'm still slightly confused about it. I would probably work night shift so it would be easier to arrive early, and hence solve the issue of being late. We're only given one option for the time of the clinical. I always have a reason for being late, but it doesn't matter unless its something as serious as death. For instance, there was an accident on the part of the highway without a shoulder. I come from a different county on the opposite side of town than everyone else in my clinical, so they didn't run into this issue.

Regarding the grievance, I filed it because she failed me when she was off of the floor with one of her favorite students, and decided I didn't arrive until she got back. There's a lotta favoritism at this school. She also had the staff nurses teach me how to pass meds instead of doing it herself, and based her clinical evaluation on what she heard from other people, since she never spent time with me during care herself. The main nurse she based the evaluation off of was in a dispute with the other nurse I worked with and they were writing each other up etc. Very unprofessional.

I see a whole lot of excuses and rationalizations here, and no responsibility being taken. I don't know anyone who gets to choose their clinical time... a wreck is a good excuse.. what about all the other days you're late?? Oversleeping is really not a valid excuse. I have to get up at 3:45am to make it to my clinical on time as I live over an hour away and we have to be there by 5:30am. I'm not the only one driving that far and they all make it on time too.

Waiting until you get a 'night' job to solve the issue of being late isn't going to cut it. You're not going to make it that far if you wait until then for a solution to your tardiness. If you have to get up at 4am, get to the hospital an hour early, do it. Use the time to study. You need to own this stuff and fix it.

Oct 3, '12

You are not taking responsibility, as everyone else has stated. I am not sure what you wanted by coming on here, we can not support YOUR DECISIONS about filing grievances about being late. We have to be at our clinical at 3am, 4 people liver over 1.5 hours from there and they make it on time. They stay at hotels sometimes. We do not get to choose our clinical time either, that does not give you a reason for being late. You chose to go into the nursing program, you need to do the work associated with it. It is ridiculous that you are making so many excuses for not doing what you need to do. We also have to have annual TB tests done, this is in every health care field. The other students knew you had said, so you should have. I am also not trying to be mean, but you come on here complaining about possibly failing for reasons that you think are unfair? They are not unfair, anyone at my school would fail after being late twice, regardless of the reason!
It seems like you need to grow up and stop making excuses. We are all telling you that you are, that these are ligitimate reasons to fail but you do not seem to get it! I would not be filing grievances for something that is actually your fault. I can not believe that you think being caught up in paperwork from filing a grievance is a reason to be late on your test. Just for that we would be done with our program. There is NO reason why you should ever be 2 weeks late on a test.

You choose this route, you did, no one else made you do this. You do not seem to realize that when you choose this path, you choose the work that comes with it. Maybe you should of looked into nursing school further before you jumped into it because you seem to not know what it entails.

Regarding the grievance, I filed it because she failed me when she was off of the floor with one of her favorite students, and decided I didn't arrive until she got back. There's a lotta favoritism at this school. She also had the staff nurses teach me how to pass meds instead of doing it herself, and based her clinical evaluation on what she heard from other people, since she never spent time with me during care herself. The main nurse she based the evaluation off of was in a dispute with the other nurse I worked with and they were writing each other up etc. Very unprofessional.

Giving an F from a nurse's evaluation is normal. Your instructor cannot be 10 places at once, the nurse that you are with is to observe and see if you are behaving appropriately.
Maybe the instructor likes the student because she shows up on time and does her work appropriately. I do not think that ANY teacher would like a student that is constantly late, and that does not see anything wrong with it because "they didn't get to choose their clinical time".

Oct 3, '12

You have to think of nursing school as a job. Leave early, plan for the unknown such as a car wreck, unexpected road construction, or a bridge being up. It is your responsibility to be on time regardless of the circumstances. Leave early, set multiple alarms, or if your family life is causing you to be late, talk to them and set boundaries. I live about 2 minutes from my college, and I leave 30 minutes before class to be sure I am there on time, and my clinicals this quarter are 20 minutes away and I leave 1 hour prior to leave enough time for the unexpected. Remember that nurses are accountable and autonomous. Neither of which you are displaying by being late and making excuses.

You have to remember that when you finish your program, your instructors are your best resource for letters of recommendation. Who else knows better about your skills, and level of compassion as a nurse than your instructors? If you are constantly late, not finishing tests as assigned, and filing grievances on top of it all, then they aren't going to be very likely to take their own personal time to help you acquire employment. If you aren't willing to respect their time then why should they repsect yours?

So, I am on the brink of getting kicked out of my program due to the clinical setting. I arrived late quite a few times and the instructors don't like me or teach me, just reprimand me. I get 80-90% on the exams but it doesn't matter since the instructor can decide to fail you for the smallest reason, such as wearing the wrong color nail polish or being ten minutes late. I already failed one course for that reason. A few days after my grievance over the grade was filed I got an email stating that I'm not allowed to go to clinical the next day because my TB test was overdue so I will probably fail the course, which will be talked about in person. After one F transferring is relatively impossible and the constant meetings make it difficult to accomplish anything other than talking. I was reminded that my test was overdue and asked the status two weeks prior but I was busy writing a few papers and stacking copies of documents for the grievance filing. Does anyone have any advice for me? It would be much appreciated.

Showing responsibility and maturity are imperative to being a nurse. Arriving to work on time. Having your proper certifications completed and on time. Follow through with appropriate actions in a timely manner are nursing requirements.

Late TB tests even when you are working are grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination. Attendance, failure to arrive on time, is also grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination.....and is disrespectful to your co-worker/instructor. Your school even warned you 2 weeks prior but, in their view, you were too self absorbed to be bothered to fulfill the programs requirement because you were busy stacking papers/copies for your fight with them.

Anytime you are trying to prove a point and confront someone on their behavior.......you need to be sure there are no cracks in your glass.....so your behavior and compliance needs to be without reproach. Let the one "without sin cast the first stone".....

You are always going to encounter that may not like you or may pick on you. You need to be mature enough to take responsibility and learn how to adapt and respond in a responsible and mature manner. Especially in nursing school when your exposure to this CI is temporary. Take responsibility for your own actions and control your own destiny.

The failure to follow set rules, wearing the wrong color nail polish and being ten min late, shows immaturity, disrespect, and that you are unreliable. All unacceptable behaviors in a nurse.

My advice?......I would apologize for my behavior. Set out a behavior plan about how you are going to improve so you can remain in the program....and I would be sure to let them know how much you want to be a nurse and why. I would look inside to see what about me I need to change to improve myself as well.

I wish you the best.

Oct 3, '12

You're allowed to wear nail polish?

Im sorry everything else sounds like your fault...

When i know someone doesnt like me - I automatically do my best to shine in their eyes - especially when they have me by the *short and curlies*... And then when our interaction is over, their ego was stroked and I got my grade/raise/accolades...

That's all I've got...

Oct 3, '12

Advice: Stop showing up late, dont wear nail polish.

And you missed the TB test window? Dude, you're putting others at risk. In my last CNA class 2 people have positive TB skin tests and had no idea. Can you imagine if they went to clinical like that?

I mean really, why are you late? If you are scared you're going to be late, you need to be RIDICULOUSLY early and sit in the parking lot and wait. Your teacher actually isnt in the wrong here. You need to take more responsibility to be there on time, look proper, etc.

Like other people have said, if you expected to get a job with all these flaws, you'd be jobless for some time. But its not too late to turn it around.....

Oct 3, '12

I understand it's hard to get up early I too found AM clinicals awful. I took melatonin to fall asleep and Benadryl to stay asleep I set 2 alarms. An got there early and eat breakfast. I wore no nail polish. The importance of being on time was made clear to us this way, your gonna be awfully ticked off, if after a 12 hour shift your replacement isn't there and you have to stay, so be on time, in fact be early, that way you can stash your crap, chat with people before hitting the floor. It makes for an easier and better day for every one. We were constantly told to act as if it was a job interview, those nurses notice if your late, lazy, sloppy ect and it can keep you from getting a job. Also your clinical instructors write your recommendations for your first job. Getting known in the wrong way, hurts you way more in the long run. Right now, here's what you need to do.... Get up on time, go to the health department and get a TB shot it ten dollars, (frankly I'm surprised you were allowed on the floor with out it, we were told if we didn't have it it was an absence until we did and you only allowed to miss so much before failing the class) and get there on time, early in fact and apologize. Then make yourself the most awesome student from here out so that hopefully the other clinical instructors will give your a good recommendation, and the other floor nurses will like you and give you a recommendation. I have my first job it's nights so yes getting up on time is whole lot easier and I don't need to take anything anymore to sleep. But my job is an hour away. It 2 1/2 hour round trip, I leave an extra 1/2 hour early to allow for traffic, my boss knows where I live and drive that's involved, (her daughter lives here) she doesn't care, too may people are looking for a job. It's still a write up if I'm late (not I have been) and yes I have been late 10 min or so a couple of times, due to really bad weather. I would have been a lot later without my cushion. Also they look at call outs and tardiness when they do reviews, and it factors in to raises. My sister hospital had 1-3% raise places on your evaluation. Being on probation for tardiness or anything else meant 0 raise.

Showing responsibility and maturity are imperative to being a nurse. Arriving to work on time. Having your proper certifications completed and on time. Follow through with appropriate actions in a timely manner are nursing requirements.

Late TB tests even when you are working are grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination. Attendance, failure to arrive on time, is also grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination.....and is disrespectful to your co-worker/instructor. Your school even warned you 2 weeks prior but, in their view, you were too self absorbed to be bothered to fulfill the programs requirement because you were busy stacking papers/copies for your fight with them.

Anytime you are trying to prove a point and confront someone on their behavior.......you need to be sure there are no cracks in your glass.....so your behavior and compliance needs to be without reproach. Let the one "without sin cast the first stone".....

You are always going to encounter that may not like you or may pick on you. You need to be mature enough to take responsibility and learn how to adapt and respond in a responsible and mature manner. Especially in nursing school when your exposure to this CI is temporary. Take responsibility for your own actions and control your own destiny.

The failure to follow set rules, wearing the wrong color nail polish and being ten min late, shows immaturity, disrespect, and that you are unreliable. All unacceptable behaviors in a nurse.

My advice?......I would apologize for my behavior. Set out a behavior plan about how you are going to improve so you can remain in the program....and I would be sure to let them know how much you want to be a nurse and why. I would look inside to see what about me I need to change to improve myself as well.

I wish you the best.

^ This x's 1000!

Listen to these nurses. All of them are essentially saying the same thing--and of that, not a few.

Seriously, no one is going to have any sympathy for you at all based on what you have said. Nursing and medicine are run a little like the military. Certain things are expected and will be completed, period, end of story. It's on you to do them--to find out how to do them--like the immunization issue. Really? You call and figure it out, period.

So do you really NOT want to be there? I have to question if in fact you do.

If you do, get it together and do what is expected, and then try to go the extra mile after that.

Favoritism occurs a lot EVERYWHERE, but sometimes students think instructors are playing favorites, when in fact, they simply see another student taking a stronger interest in things.

If you don't get it together, people are going to think you just to care enough, and then you will be out. It's as simple as that.

Oct 3, '12

In my opinion, nursing school rules are NOT outrageous. There are legitimate reasons for all of them. Nail polish is unhygienic. You're lucky you get wear it at all. Is it really that difficult for you to comply with a simple rule like nail color? TB requirements are usually those of the clinical facility, enforced by the school. If you can't comply with the facility as a student, you wont last long as an employee if you get hired. You have plenty of notice as to what is required of you before clinicals. If your classmates can get it done, you can too. It is your responsibility, and it is not an outlandish request. You need to buck up and take accountability. They don't ask anything unreasonable of you. Put some big girl undies on and do what you need to do, and don't blame your instructors for your problems and whine about "unfair treatment" when you don't hold up your end of the stick. JMO.